Fire can be necessary and natural to an ecosystem, but when there is too much natural fuel in a forest, the risk of large uncontrollable fires increases, putting both the ecosystem and neighboring communities in danger.
Cold burns, also referred to as controlled or prescribed burns, are a method used to reduce undergrowth and natural fuels in forests, thus reducing the risk of larger fires starting and damaging an ecosystem and communities.
In July, Administração Nacional das Áreas de Conservação and Wildlife Conservation Society Moçambique, with technical support from the U.S. Forest Service, conducted cold burn exercises in the Reserva Especial do Niassa - REN as part of an ongoing project funded by USAID Mozambique to improve the Reserve’s fire management and response system.